What can I do with an Endless USB Stick?

When you download Endless OS from the endlessm.com website, you will be given a few options for how to try out or install Endless. If you are reading this FAQ, it’s probably because you chose “advanced options using an Endless USB Stick”. Here is some basic information on what you can do with an Endless USB Stick:

1. Try Endless OS without formatting your computer

This feature can run Endless OS directly from a USB device without having to install it on your computer. If you start your computer from the Endless USB stick, you can select the option to Try Endless OS. See our FAQ about how to start your computer from a USB stick.

If you decide you like Endless OS and want to keep it, you can select the “Reformat” icon from the desktop and proceed with the “Reformat this computer with Endless OS” process described below.

Pros:

No need to install on hard drive, as Endless OS is hosted on USB.

You can try Endless OS without removing any existing operating system or software on your computer.

Cons:

Slower performance than when Endless OS is installed on a hard drive.

Unless you use the file manager to manually access the USB stick or any other drives on your computer, any files or folders created or apps downloaded and installed in the Endless OS trial system will not be kept after you power off or restart your computer.

2. Reformat your computer with Endless OS

If you start your computer from the Endless USB stick, you can select the option to Reformat with Endless OS. If you like Endless OS, you can install Endless OS on your computer’s hard drive and replace its existing operating system.

Pros:

Faster performance of Endless OS.

All files/folders are stored on your computer’s internal hard drive, so you can download apps and create files as usual.

Cons:

The reformat process will replace your existing operating system and software, erasing all apps and documents stored on the selected hard drive.

3. Run the Endless Installer for Windows from the USB stick

Each Endless USB Stick also includes a copy of the Endless Installer for Windows. This is most valuable if you want to install Endless OS on a computer that already has Windows, but without removing Windows or any other files (dual boot). When installing from an Endless USB Stick, no internet connection is required, so this allows you to do the download and create the Endless USB Stick on one computer, but install Endless OS on another.

To use the Endless USB Stick with a Windows computer, insert the USB stick into the computer and open the drive in Explorer. Find the “endless-installer.exe” file and double-click it, and you will be presented with the option to install Endless on this computer. See here for more instructions about the installation process on Windows.

You may also use the Endless Installer for Windows running from an Endless USB Stick to create additional Endless USB Sticks.